Cardiovascular responses to intrathoracic pressure variations in coronary disease patients: a computer simulation.

Several studies have suggested that the Valsalva maneuver may predispose potential lethal arrhythmias in patients with coronary artery disease, since this maneuver induces diminished coronary flow. On the other hand some studies have suggested that the Valsalva maneuver abruptly reduces determinants of cardiac oxygen demand, relieving angina pectoris. In order to study the variations of the myocardial oxygen supply-demand relation, during different applications of the maneuver, a mathematical model of the human cardiovascular system is presented.

Effects of adrenaline on ventricular function and coronary haemodynamics in relation to catecholamine handling in transplanted human hearts.

We investigated cardiovascular and coronary responses to intravenous infusions of adrenaline, which raised arterial concentrations in a stepwise fashion from basal to about 5-6 nmol.l-1, in 11 non-rejecting heart transplanted patients, and in eight intact innervated subjects. Cardiac adrenaline extraction and noradrenaline release rate were also measured.

Development of myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor density and adenylate cyclase activity after human heart transplantation.

An increase in basal heart rate caused by a lack of vagal control and chronotropic supersensitivity to epinephrine has been shown in transplanted human hearts. Prejunctional and/or postjunctional origins for this supersensitivity have been suggested, the latter involving changes in the number of myocardial beta-adrenergic receptors or in the receptor adenylate cyclase system. To directly determine the time course of change, serial determinations were performed during the first 3 months after heart transplantation.

Two-year follow-up after laser thermal balloon angioplasty (LTBA) in lower extremities: initial experience.

We describe the results obtained with the use of laser thermal balloon angioplasty (LTBA) in the treatment of atherosclerosis obliterans of the lower limbs in 37 patients (34 males, 3 females, mean age 58 +/- 9 years) with occlusive arterial disease (Fontaine stages II-IV) presenting 39 significant lesions. Immediate results and two years of clinical follow-up are analyzed. Initial ankle/brachial Doppler index was 0.

Antiplatelet agents and their effect on complications during or soon after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

In a retrospective study, during which 179 patients had undergone percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), the overall initial success rate fell suddenly and unexpectedly from more than 90% to 70.4%: 54.9% in patients not receiving antiplatelet therapy and 86.